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The Survivor, The Hero & The Angel: A Mother's Story - One Decade
This true story follows the Raccosta family through a journey spanning one decade. The mother, MaryAnn, expresses the feelings of her mind and soul as her family endures numerous unexpected trials. MaryAnn searches for a "normal" life for her two "rare" boys, trys to maintain her relationship with her spouse, the man that she truly loves, all while keeping life sane for her daughter, the healthy sibling. The catastrophic events unfold as the reader walks along with MaryAnn -- crying, laughing, and worrying. In the end, this story of love, courage and survival provides hope for others who may be struggling with unforeseen chaos. The story's lasting impression will challenge the readers to ponder their own lives.
302 pages, Paperback
First published August 7, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 19, 2014
In The Survivor, the Hero & the Angel, MaryAnn Raccosta shares her life, focusing on a ten-year period, in this beautifully written memoir. During this period, MaryAnn faces many challenges, which center on the care of her two sons, both born with very rare metabolic disorders.
In 1999, she learns that her second child, James, was born with liver disease. While addressing the liver disease with the specialists at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia(CHOP), she learns that he also has a metabolic disorder. The odds of both are described as winning the lottery and being struck by lightning on the same day. As one-year-old James fights for survival after two liver transplants within months of each other, MaryAnn gives birth to her third child, Sam, who then joins her at CHOP. All the while, MaryAnn worries about whether her daughter, Gabrielle, feels neglected and abandoned by her while she remains for months at CHOP.
Throughout this memoir, MaryAnn candidly shares her many fears and humbly accepts help from a village of supporters, such as the local mothers who help with the laundry to the medical professionals who care for her sons. There is even a surprise visit by celebrity Kelly Ripa! Ultimately, it is her faith that helps her and her family during this decade. Throughout her book, MaryAnn shows gratitude for not only the help and support, but also for simple moments in life with her family, especially when they are all together at home.
This inspiring book is about family, gratitude, resilience, faith, and hope. Anyone of the Raccosta children could be the survivor, the hero, or the angel, even MaryAnn herself.
In 1999, she learns that her second child, James, was born with liver disease. While addressing the liver disease with the specialists at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia(CHOP), she learns that he also has a metabolic disorder. The odds of both are described as winning the lottery and being struck by lightning on the same day. As one-year-old James fights for survival after two liver transplants within months of each other, MaryAnn gives birth to her third child, Sam, who then joins her at CHOP. All the while, MaryAnn worries about whether her daughter, Gabrielle, feels neglected and abandoned by her while she remains for months at CHOP.
Throughout this memoir, MaryAnn candidly shares her many fears and humbly accepts help from a village of supporters, such as the local mothers who help with the laundry to the medical professionals who care for her sons. There is even a surprise visit by celebrity Kelly Ripa! Ultimately, it is her faith that helps her and her family during this decade. Throughout her book, MaryAnn shows gratitude for not only the help and support, but also for simple moments in life with her family, especially when they are all together at home.
This inspiring book is about family, gratitude, resilience, faith, and hope. Anyone of the Raccosta children could be the survivor, the hero, or the angel, even MaryAnn herself.
September 14, 2015
Laughed, cried and was inspired all throughout reading MaryAnn Raccosta's heartfelt memoir with insight into the daily joys and challenges for her family during a period of 10yrs. Beautifully written.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
January 2, 2014
I couldn't put the book down. a real story about triumph and joy and much love.
August 26, 2017
Don’t even try to imagine what your life might be like if you had to face what MaryAnn and Jim Raccosta describe in this beautiful story of a family challenged with raising three children when two of them are diagnosed early on not only with rare, but also with another extremely rare medical condition. Their secret? A strong faith in God and His plan for them supported by an amazing medical staff at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and a final blessing of a strong marital relationship that grows stronger as they are forced to work together to keep those two boys alive time and time again.
MaryAnn shares her soul and heart throughout, inviting the reader into their daily family life, from days of routine - a routine very different from what the reader might expect from their own “normal routine” - days that can at any moment turn into another dash to the ER and a hospital admission to save a young life, again and again, with no rest for the weary. Her writing takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions, alternating between that daily routine and death defying episodes where the reader’s heart will stop - as the family’s did - at those crash cart moments in the crowded hospital room filled with medical staff performing another miracle lifesaving. And so we share their life for ten years, a life that continues on to this day, with the boys growing under the loving care of MaryAnn and Jim, inspirational parents that will leave you in tears with their devotion to not only the three children, but to themselves and their faith in God’s plan. See them as they strive to provide a normal life for the older daughter while staying so focused on caring for the two younger boys, a balancing act few can truly identify with in their own family child raising years.
What also comes through in her story is the dedication of the Philadelphia Children’s Hospital staff that go beyond their professional responsibilities to connect with this family in a loving, very human way that grows over the years, extending beyond an assigned shift of patient care, returning again and again even after those professionals have moved on to other often distant assignments.
For those facing their own family medical challenges, this is an inspiring read of faith and hope. Medical professionals will benefit from seeing what goes on beyond the hospital room, not only in the home and other physical settings, but deep within the hearts and minds of the family dealing with that daily life challenge so beautifully captured in this amazing book. Thank you, MaryAnn and Jim, for allowing us inside your heart and lives, a truly unique gift from your hearts to all who are blessed in reading this very special book.
see this and more than a hundred other organ donation/transplant related books - many with my personal reviews - at http://www.trioweb.org/resources/book...
MaryAnn shares her soul and heart throughout, inviting the reader into their daily family life, from days of routine - a routine very different from what the reader might expect from their own “normal routine” - days that can at any moment turn into another dash to the ER and a hospital admission to save a young life, again and again, with no rest for the weary. Her writing takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions, alternating between that daily routine and death defying episodes where the reader’s heart will stop - as the family’s did - at those crash cart moments in the crowded hospital room filled with medical staff performing another miracle lifesaving. And so we share their life for ten years, a life that continues on to this day, with the boys growing under the loving care of MaryAnn and Jim, inspirational parents that will leave you in tears with their devotion to not only the three children, but to themselves and their faith in God’s plan. See them as they strive to provide a normal life for the older daughter while staying so focused on caring for the two younger boys, a balancing act few can truly identify with in their own family child raising years.
What also comes through in her story is the dedication of the Philadelphia Children’s Hospital staff that go beyond their professional responsibilities to connect with this family in a loving, very human way that grows over the years, extending beyond an assigned shift of patient care, returning again and again even after those professionals have moved on to other often distant assignments.
For those facing their own family medical challenges, this is an inspiring read of faith and hope. Medical professionals will benefit from seeing what goes on beyond the hospital room, not only in the home and other physical settings, but deep within the hearts and minds of the family dealing with that daily life challenge so beautifully captured in this amazing book. Thank you, MaryAnn and Jim, for allowing us inside your heart and lives, a truly unique gift from your hearts to all who are blessed in reading this very special book.
see this and more than a hundred other organ donation/transplant related books - many with my personal reviews - at http://www.trioweb.org/resources/book...
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews